If your organization — church, community center, neighborhood association or other — values helping its members get and remain fit and healthy, consider leading a Texercise program.

Everything you need — program materials, incentives and recognition materials — is provided free of charge to you and your participants.

All you have to do is provide the location and the enthusiasm.

Texercise Programs

Texercise offers organizations and communities 2 free programs – Classic and Select – that bring groups of people 45 and older together to engage in regular physical activity while forming a social support group.

Texercise provides incentives to both Classic and Select participants to educate, motivate and recognize them:

Handbooks

Pedometers

Resistance bands

T-shirts

While Texercise encourages all age groups to engage in healthy activities, the incentives offered are for people 45 years and older or people who have a disability.

Texercise Classic

Texercise Classic is a free, 12-week program with classes held anywhere participants regularly meet, such as senior and community centers, worksites, faith-based organizations, or long-term care facilities.

Organizations interested in hosting Texercise Classic will receive a coordinator kit that contains step-by-step instructions for leading the classes and how to order the associated incentives.

The physical activities used with the program are determined by the organization hosting and can be a variety of activities including the exercises in the Texercise DVD and line dancing.

Organizations interested in providing Texercise Select classes must have a certified facilitator. People who want to become a certified facilitator must take the online training and pass the training test with a score of at least 80 percent. Once certified, the facilitator will receive the Texercise Select Facilitator Manual that contains step-by-step instructions for leading each session and information on how to order the associated incentives.

The physical activities used with Texercise Select are provided in the Texercise handbook and DVD. Various combinations of these exercises can be used for each session, but the exercises used must come from these resources.

How to Get Your Program Up and Running

We have made it easy to start a program in your community. These steps and resources are designed to guide you during the program.

While Texercise encourages all age groups to engage in healthy activities, the incentives offered are for people 45 years and older or people who have a disability.

Plan Your Program

Assess participant health

Before starting Texercise, encourage participants to assess their current fitness level using the 3 fitness levels described on pages 8 and 9 of the Texercise handbook. No tool however can replace a physician's assessment of an individual's health. Participants should consult their physician before beginning this or any exercise program.

Texercise Classic is flexible so it can be used by different types and sizes of organizations. Whether you lead Texercise in a park or indoors, make sure the location you choose is safe, accessible and can accommodate the number of participants you are expecting.

The Kick-off Event

The event doesn't have to be large or elaborate to be effective. The goal is to get people to commit to the program. Some things to do at your kick-off could include holding a:

Fitness demonstration

Nutrition discussion or speaker

Healthy cooking demonstration

Health fair

See "Ordering incentives" below to find out how to get free resources for this event.

Ordering Incentives

Please keep in mind the motivational incentives offered to those participating in Texercise programs can change due to participant feedback or may rotate in order to encourage participants to continue the program year-round or a time in the future.

Plan to order incentives 2 weeks before the launch, at the mid-point and end of your program to allow for shipping. Call 1-800-889-8595 or email Texercise@hhsc.state.tx.us to place your request and be sure to include the number of participants, sizes (if applicable) and your mailing address.

Launch event items include the Texercise handbook, pledge sheets and pedometers. Please email a copy of the completed Pedometer Sign-Up sheet to Texercise@hhsc.state.tx.us. It can also be mailed or faxed to:

Mid-point incentive items vary by stock and can include resistance bands, water bottles, or stress balls.

Wrap-up/celebration items include t-shirts and certificates of completion.

Create Awareness for the Event

Your program will only be successful if you get participants, so you will need to get the word out.

Texercise provides online flyers that can be downloaded and personalized with your kick-off information. Posting these in prominent places can help create interest in the program and encourage participation.

You also may want to share the "High Cost of Inactivity" fact sheet with potential Texercisers to create awareness of the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle for a long-term quality of life.

Motivate Participants

Use the Texercise Classic and Select weekly classes to provide ongoing motivation for your participants. Weekly activities could include:

Celebrate

At the end of Texercise Classic and Select, hold a celebration to recognize participants' achievements and provide them with a Texercise Certificate of Achievement and Texercise T-shirt. Consider holding a walk/run at the celebration event as a way to incorporate physical activity into the celebration event.

Other Resources

Walking Trail Toolkit

Research shows that adapting your community's physical environment to provide access to exercise will increase your resident’s physical activity. Texercise offers the Texercise Walking Trail Toolkit (PDF) to help communities develop places for residents to be active. The toolkit provides valuable information on both indoor and outdoor trails, site location, promoting trail use and much more.